Advances in the field of wireless LAN technology have resulted in the emergence of publicly accessible wireless LANs (e.g., “hot spots”) at rest stops, cafes, libraries and similar public facilities. Presently, public wireless LANs offer mobile wireless communications device users access to a private data network, such as a Corporate Intranet, or a public data network such as the Internet. The relatively low cost to implement and operate a public wireless LAN, as well as the available high bandwidth (usually in excess of 10 Megabits/second) makes the public wireless LAN an ideal access mechanism through which users can exchange packets with an external entity.
When a user travels into a public wireless LAN coverage area, the public wireless LAN first authenticates and authorizes the user prior to granting network access. After authentication, the public wireless LAN Access Point (AP) opens a secure data channel to the mobile wireless communications device to protect the privacy of data exchanged with the device. Presently, many manufacturers of wireless LAN equipment have adopted the IEEE 802.1x protocol for deployed equipment. Hence, the predominant authentication mechanism for wireless LANs utilizes this standard. Unfortunately, the IEEE 802.1x protocol was a safe authentication procedure, but such mechanisms do not permit setting of a Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) encryption key in the Web browser. Therefore, data transmitted over wireless LAN after authentication remains unprotected.
Thus, there is need for an authentication process for use in a public wireless LAN environment that permits authentication in accordance with the IEEE 802.1x protocol, thus protecting the privacy of exchanged data, while affording customized interaction mechanisms.